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The Red Flower
Chapter. 41
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“All this blood is his, and you say he’s not wounded anywhere?”
He didn’t know how many times he’d sighed now; Alvis brushed back his hair with a tired face as the other raised the clothes painted in red before his face once again. “Yes, Ellmer, he’s all healthy and good…”
“Maybe he has something like the healing bubble you have with your weapon?” Javi calmly said, standing between the two. He was a bit too lost with the events lately, and he wasn’t sure what was what anymore or had any time to question anyone, but even he could tell that Davante’s situation was… odd, so odd that he didn’t blame Ellmer for asking Alvis the same question for the past few hours now. When sharp crimson eyes turned to him, he explained, “Elois told me a bit about your weapon. That’s how I know.”
Ellmer glanced at Elois before he closed his eyes with a quiet sigh and shook his head slightly. “And from where would he gain something like that out of nowhere? Those tools were strictly made in secret in Anfinrud Organization.”
“…maybe he is injured. Davante had always been skilled at hiding his pain after all…” Elois muttered though he doubted anyone heard him, even with the silence in the room for a moment. Looking to the far end of the room and at the unbothered teen who probably couldn’t hear their hushed talk.
“You know something, big brother?”
Elois blinked and glanced at Owin, who had suddenly asked with a curious look in his eye. He quietly shook his head and looked again at the youngest in the room. ‘It’s him, right…?’ he felt he shouldn’t question it anymore; the person standing with them and in Davante’s body was undoubtedly the Weapon. However, he wasn’t sure if he could say a thing as no one had met the Weapon before aside from himself, or at least that is what he believed after his encounter with the brat in Davante’s head or whatever. There were also the things he had seen as dreams when the punk helped him snap awake. If he were to say something about the Weapon now, he would eventually have to explain to everyone around all the horrible stuff he had to see back then. The fact that they weren’t dreams but deep buried and locked memories… maybe he should stay quiet about it forever, he thought as he silently observed the Weapon, probably playing ignorant rather than unable to hear them.
“He actually seems fine…” said Kyle, fearing Ellmer’s response as his older brother looked downright furious and barely kept calm, especially since Ellmer and perhaps everyone in the room knew that he himself didn’t view Davante Fixsen in a good way from the start. He turned his face to the window when said brother sent a look at him.
“Shouldn’t we think of a way to leave the academy now?”
Kyle glanced at his twin brother and was thankful for Kito to stand up and speak his thoughts on his behalf, even under Ellmer’s fierce eyes. They ensured Davante’s condition, so they should hurry and escape this crazy academy before the even crazier headmaster found them hiding now in his shared room with Kito. He looked at the bloodied clothes, mainly the straitjacket in Ellmer’s hand. Gulping, Kyle knew there was something wrong with the blond headmaster, but to torture his own son secretly in a hidden room underground was just…
It wouldn’t take a genius to understand that the teen had clearly experienced a torture session and somehow magically survived it unharmed and calm.
No, what frightened nearly all of them was how relaxed Davante was after such a crisis.
Evester didn’t have to turn around to know everyone’s eyes were on him. He fixed the slightly baggy shirt he borrowed from the redhead brat as he was desperate for a bath from all the dry blood. He could care less whose clothes he would be wearing, even if it were from the person with the smallest brain present in the room.
He knows they are all thinking of leaving the academy…
Reviewing the past rounds in his head, Evester didn’t think it was a good idea to leave the place, not yet. He managed, after a great struggle, to calm the group and shift their attention away from Kaven Fixsen for now, and now he had to convince them to stay and wait for when Davante would wake up without having to tell them the details.
But more than that, he needed to understand one thing first.
Turning his head to his side, he looks at the largest being in the room and meets Karl’s sharp crimson eyes. With his arms crossed, the man looked to have been waiting to finally gain the teen’s attention.
“…long time no see, Karl.” Evester, in Davante’s body, said after a moment of silence.
Karl smirked, understanding what the boy needed him to do at that moment. “It sure is, kiddo. Shall we talk now?” he turned his head to look at the bewildered group, who still couldn’t understand Karl's relationship with Davante but were somewhat relieved when the teen seemed comfortable with him. He gave his signature smirk with his frowning eyebrows, “I’ll cast a spell for a moment, now if you pardon.” He snapped his finger before any of them could protest. Looking back at the teen beside him, he dropped his smirk. “They can’t hear us now. So, who are you?”
Evester’s lips twitched, holding back a chuckle. He was glad the vampire seemed to indeed hold Davante dear despite all the talk about a Third Player and the Game or whatnot. Although the vampire maintained his composure, he looked ready to choke him any moment.
Even if the group can’t listen to them now, Evester should be careful with his expressions and behavior as they were still watching intently, “Won’t they read our lips?”
“They can’t. We’re covered by a small blurry barrier now.” Karl silently scoffed, “Speak, you little imposter. Where is Davante, and who are you?”
Evester raised his eyebrows in amusement. That meant he could be himself for a brief moment now. A time to breathe, at last. He smiled and brought his hand to his chest, “Nice to meet you. I’m Evester, Davante’s inner weapon.” Opening his eyes, he was met with silence. “Would you like me to bring out the Spirit so you can ask him if I’m no enemy?”
Karl’s eyes widened and shook for a second as he didn’t have to ask to understand what the other meant with ‘Spirit’. He quickly collected himself, “…no need, so where is Davante?”
“Sleeping inside, or not completely asleep.” At the frown, he tried to put the situation in simple words for the vampire to understand. “Let’s say he’s in a slumber and all his lost memories are slowly brought into him, all the while looking at what’s happening currently.”
“You’re helping him regain his lost memories after the incident under the tree…?” Karl asked with a deeper frown, trying to understand the situation better. “So, he’s… he can see, listen and feel everything now?”
Evester nodded, “He’s watching and listening but can’t feel anything.” Evester didn’t bother explaining to the other which ‘memories’ they were discussing here. Assuming from the reaction, the vampire was unaware of how many times Davante had restarted his life. He watched as Karl nodded slowly and looked to lower his guard around him. “May I ask now, who brought you here?” Evester slightly narrowed his eyes, smiling at the confused eyes before him, reviewing Davante’s memories in his head and finding no similar situation to the current one before his eyes. “Someone must have helped introduce you to the group, am I correct?”
Karl paused for a moment, “…oh, you mean Bren, the Reutestian Hawkeyes.”
Evester searched Davante’s memories again for any similar name, and he blinked blankly when he found nothing.
“Bren Carson, I don’t think Davante has met him yet,” Karl explained when he noticed the puzzled expression on the Weapon. “He was busy hiding from Baldrick’s eyes and faking ignorance for almost forever. You’re aware that Baldrick had many people under control so he could watch everything from their eyes, right?” he continued when the Weapon nodded, “Bren was giving the impression that he was some unimportant individual not constituting any role in the Game so he could move freely. To some extent, he succeeded, or maybe Baldrick caught on and played along, who knows.” Karl shrugged his shoulder, looking annoyed whenever he mentioned the crazy doctor’s name, “However, Bren Carson suddenly stopped playing his role of an ignorant brat and is being his true self now, saying that there was no need to put on an acting anymore.” Karl explained with a shake of his head.
“…where is he now?” Evester asked after some thought.
“He wasn’t anywhere found when I brought Davante’s friends back to the academy.” Karl clicked his tongue, “I don’t like to suspect the dude now after all this time, but according to that friend of his,” he tipped his chin, pointing toward Owin outside the barrier, “As said by that kid, Bren instructed nobody does a thing to stop Kaven Fixsen and his followers until the signal, and apparently Bren gave the signal before disappearing elsewhere to make sure of some stuff.”
Evester slightly raised an eyebrow… Bren Carson expected the future and told Owin and the rest not to interrupt, even as Davante seemed to be controlled by someone for weeks? In this case, it was easier to assume that the person was not an ally, but if Owin Iriart trusted him well to follow the instructions along with Alvis, then the man must have truly meant well since the beginning. The fact that Ellmer and the rest hadn’t said anything about Bren Carson even now told Evester that not only Owin but perhaps the rest also trusted this person. There was only one reason why that person wanted everyone to stay away from Davante then…
‘Bren Carson knows about me…?’ Evester wondered, recalling something the vampire said— The Reutestian Hawkeyes.
He couldn’t understand what ‘Reutestian’ even meant, but he could guess the reason behind the name Hawkeyes. From how Karl Alastair talks about the guy, it seems Bren Carson isn’t a human, another vampire, maybe. Going with that thought, Bren Carson, who goes by the name ‘Hawkeyes’, must have an ability that allows him to see beyond what the naked eye could watch. In this case, Bren Carson could’ve seen what lay inside Davante, perhaps even more.
Evester would take it that the unfamiliar man was helping him, the Weapon, in reviving the complete Davante Fixsen, and maybe if someone stopped the bastards from controlling Davante during his absence was going to damage the process in some way or another.
For what reason was the person helping him to this extent? He assumed it was to end Baldrick’s Game, as the man seemed to have a better knowledge of the whole situation, maybe more than Karl and Emmie even.
It would be great to meet the man now and gain all answers, Evester thought. However, he still has the current problem to deal with. Looking at the group, he wondered how he would constantly tell them to calm down and stay put for now.
“It doesn’t seem you want to leave the academy.”
Evester nodded calmly at Karl’s comment after a moment of silence, “I need Davante to wake up first. I’m only helping him gain the memories so he would know well how to proceed later since I’m in no position to plan everything on his behalf, also…” he smiled at Karl, “Can I ask you to do something?”
Karl looked to think for a second before nodding, “Ask away.”
Evester smiled thankfully at the vampire, who only frowned after hearing the request asked of him.
“…you sure about this? Weren’t you about to die just a few hours ago…?”
Evester slightly chuckled, “How do you think Davante’s body is completely fine now?”
“……” Karl stared too long at the smiling Weapon before he nodded, “I don’t know, but I think I don’t want to know more about you.” He silently sighed when the other chuckled playfully again, “Just make sure to keep Davante and his body safe.”
“Of course.” Evester waved his hand playfully at the frowning vampire, “See you soon, male Karl.”
“Yeah, sure.” Karl snorted and turned to smirk at the Weapon, “The next time we see each other would be when you and your Master come to kill me and my sister.”
“Hmm…” Evester hummed thoughtfully, “We’ll have to wait and see if that happens.”
“Huh…?”
Evester closed his eyes with his relaxed smile and waved his hand to dismiss the bewildered vampire. “You should hurry with your task now, Mister.”
Karl clicked his tongue, grumbling a bit about the Weapon before removing the barrier and the spell. Looking at the group before him, he reviewed the plan in his head quickly.
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“It seems leaving the place isn’t as easy as you guys might think.”
“And why is that?” Ellmer was the first to ask, eyeing the vampire suspiciously.
“According to Davante, there seems to be unique power surrounding the area at the moment. Kaven Fixsen is—!”
Whoosh—!
Suddenly, a dark smoke appeared and covered one person, engulfing him in seconds.
“Davante—!”
Before anyone could move, the dark smoke vanished and took with it the teen, who was standing calmly seconds ago and looked equally startled when the smoke came out of thin air.
Everyone remained silent for a long minute before Alvis spoke, startling everyone with his cold tone for the first time. Staring intently at the vampire, the man asked. “You said Kaven…”
Karl turned to look at the oldest person in the group with a tense face. “…what you’re thinking… looks like is exactly the case.”
And everyone had one thought at that moment. Ellmer and Elois looked at each other when they were reminded of what Albern had said in their first encounter.
Right… Kaven Fixsen isn’t completely a human— it means the man is partially a vampire.
.
.
Fwoosh—
Evester opened his eyes and was met with the dark place he expected. He smirked, praising Karl Alastair in his head for his remarkable acting skills.
“Can you send me away from the group and make it seem like Kaven Fixsen kidnaped me, but also stop them from going to kill Kaven? It’s easier for me to proceed with the plan away from everyone now, and they must stay safe, so… I need you to teleport me to…”
Evester knows he is being a bastard for deceiving and further worrying Davante’s friends and uncle, but it is the only way for him for now. Looking at the place he was teleported to, he was glad the location was discovered beforehand in the night when Elois and Javi entered the barrier of illusions from what Karl told him moments ago; otherwise he doubted Karl would know where Baldrick’s secret location would be.
Now that he’s here and away from the rest, he’s sure Karl would take good care of the group until Davante wakes up, just as discussed.
“Well, you really surprised me this once.”
Instead of jumping in fear or shock from the sudden close voice in the dark, Evester smiled.
“Won’t you welcome your beloved Third Player?”
And almost in the exact second, the narrow entryway of the underground laboratory and below the stairs was dimly lit, showing before him the infamous crazy doctor, Lucas Feldstain, no, Baldrick Alastair.
Evester smiled and gave a little wave at the other’s blank face. “Nice to finally meet you in person, doctor.”
“Oh, my.” Baldrick laughed as if he was in utter disbelief, shaking his head. “I guess this is the only place you can hide in for the time being, so is that why? Oh, poor you.”
Evester only blinked when the other disappeared before him and felt a hand on his back, gently pushing him to walk.
“You’re most welcome, dear Davante Fixsen.”
Evester allowed the crazy doctor to lead him further into the old and dark laboratory, secretly smirking to himself.
‘Seems like the infamous doctor doesn’t know about the Weapon inside Davante.’
That only led him to think of another possibility.
‘Baldrick Alastair probably doesn’t know about the previous rounds, does he?’
-I believe the only ones who have the ability to remember are those with the Granovsky family’s blood.
He blinked when Yeolard explained in his head.
-My mother’s family has unique powers, some of which have been kept secret from everyone since the beginning. Ebele, my auntie, was able to push her son into the cycle only by using her inherited power directly from a higher-up in the family, whom I still don’t know the identity of.
“……” Evester was honestly astonished by the new facts he had just learned. He figured that was why Yeolard Verick knew bits and pieces from the previous rounds and looked to have known all different sides of Davante Fixsen already, which was why the Spirit was extremely cautious of approaching the said Third Player.
But if members of the Granovsky family were able to remember memories of a past round in life, then how was Davante born without his memories every single round?
-From what I recall… Davante Fixsen placed a curse on himself in one of the early rounds…
‘Excuse me…?’
Davante cast a curse on himself?
Evester searched the memories he acquired from saving Elois, trying to find when and how exactly that happened. No, the question was, why? Why would Davante do that to himself? Davante Fixsen lived horrible and tragic lives in all the previous rounds, and Evester had witnessed many of them ending with Davante committing suicide even, only to regress in time by Ebele’s curse or whatever she had put in him to defeat the Game. But none of them had he seen Davante placing a curse on himself—
Oh… He might’ve found the memory of when it happened. Reviewing the memory in his head, no wonder he couldn’t notice the man applying the curse in the first place; it was supposed to be a sarcastic joke, or that was how it appeared.
It was a promise Davante made to Elois around the fourth or fifth round…
As he was watching the dark scene in his head, Yeolard spoke again.
-And… you weren’t inside Davante from the start.
What?
Evester forced his legs to keep walking alongside the crazy doctor. He was shocked and about to stop walking to comprehend everything for a moment.
-…your presence started showing up slowly only in the last rounds.
Was that why he had seen no single memory of Davante using his weapon in the past? Was it something that Ebele, Davante’s mother, had done to her son in the last rounds? Aside from turning Davante into a human and cursing him with the cycle, did she do something else after reviewing the past rounds? She is a member of the Granovsky family, so she must have been able to recall the memories, right? Or was it…
Was it that he isn’t Davante’s weapon after all?
If he wasn’t questioning his original identity before, he was definitely starting to question it now.
‘…do you know anyone named ‘Glerty the Happy’?’
-Excuse me? I… I don’t think I do. I apologize…
Evester could tell the Spirit wasn’t trying to hide anything from him; Yeolard sounded genuinely confused and taken aback by the question. Thinking about it, logically, no one from this world would know his or Angela’s true identity, that is if the world he had seen while away from Davante was actual and not just an image made by Angela herself.
He quickly pushed all questions aside and focused on one thing.
‘You remember the past, then do you know all the rules of the Game?’
-I believe what you already know from the memories is all I know, sir. And even if I can remember the past, I can’t remember everything. My mother once said it is only possible to remember every single detail with the power granted by the Great Master of the Granovsky family.
Does Davante have that power, then? Evester wanted to ask but felt that the deceased vampire wouldn’t know the answer anyway as to why Evester received Davante’s memories clearly with every detail.
After Yeolard’s answer and what Evester had learned from the memories, it seems there were only the three unspoken rules, unless Bren Carson knew of something else no one knew about. Evester doubted he’d have time to meet the man in person with how things were going now, but if he managed somehow, he could find something new to deal with the Game.
“Your head’s busy as it seems, as always.”
Evester stopped when the doctor behind him hummed quietly with his signature smile. He inspected the place around him as the vampire left his side and walked elsewhere. He wondered where Baldrick kept his victims in this narrow-spaced laboratory.
“Should I be amazed you’re too relaxed despite standing in a place I fully own and control?”
Evester calmly turned to look at the smiling doctor sitting on a chair with his back to the many screens around him in a small dark room. Looking at the screens, he noticed they were all displaying places of the academy, but none of them were moving; they looked like images displayed by normal secret cameras. He smiled restfully, “Seems like you truly lost all sorts of puppets, doctor.”
Baldrick’s face looked as if taken aback by the remark but soon looked amused. “I must say it was fun while it lasted.”
Evester calmly walked and sat on the other chair in the room when the man motioned for him after pulling out a seat out of thin air. One wouldn’t say they were enemies with how comfortable they looked while smiling face to face. Evester thought it’d be great to have some tea while talking and getting to know the doctor he’d never seen before, or not in this round.
“Answering your question, I perfectly know you won’t harm the one who made the show the most fun for you, especially not now with the current events.”
“Ah, certainly.” The doctor tilted his head with a nonchalant smile, looking slowly at the screens around him with his eyes covered by his round sunglasses. “I really wonder who’d catch who in the end.” He looked at the smiling person with him in the room. “I’m curious as to the reason behind your visit, Davante Fixsen?”
Evester smiled playfully at the doctor. “It may be unbelievable coming from me, but I really came to hide.”
A moment of silence filled the room.
“Haha…”
They both started laughing comfortably, further relaxing in their seats.
“Oh, really…” Baldrick calmed down with a nonchalant smile after laughing for a whole minute. “You’re one peculiar Hero.”
“Goodness…” Evester’s eyebrows furrowed a bit with what looked like a sad smile. “Would you please give me a better name? I’m feeling pressured here.”
“Ah, dear me, how could I?” Baldrick looked sorry as he dropped his smile for a quick second, almost looking solemn as he took his time to think for a moment, “Hmm, but you’re working to free everyone from the Game, aren’t you? Oh, but you’re not really a good person either… how about Evil Hero?” He smiled when the teen seemed fine with the name with the comfortable smile back on his face.
“You worked hard all this while. I guess I should be giving my best performance after my stay here,” Evester said as he looked at the screens around him, blinking and looking confused when suddenly the somewhat quiet atmosphere in the academy shown around him looked chaotic with all the guards running around, but looking at whom they were chasing after…
‘That is Davante…’
He looked at the ‘Davante’ on the screen running from guards and enraged students both. Who was that imposter? What the hell was happening out there?
“I don’t think it’s a good idea to hide any longer. Don’t you think so too?”
His body was brought to the back a bit as the doctor moved secretly again to stand behind him and rest both arms on the backrest of Evester’s seat.
“After all, a week and a half had passed by now.”
Hold on, a what? He had only been here for an hour at most… could it be…
He tilted his head back to curiously look up at the doctor, who was smiling down at him, “Is this place your dimension?”
Baldrick’s smile widened, “Cowndrels, though weak, have quite the unique powers, you see,” the doctor answered as he leisurely let go of the seat and walked around to stand before the teen, removing his sunglasses as if he wanted to look better at the screens. “I’m sure you heard the name before, perhaps from Yeolard Verick? Or maybe from His Imperial Majesty.” He said after receiving no question about the name long forgotten and unknown to humans. “It’s a spell I came up with accidentally way too back in the past.” He looked with a smile at his hand holding the sunglasses, “This place does exist in reality, but I can activate the spell whenever I want and isolate the place to a little space dimension.” He slowly turned around to reveal his sharp eyes to the Evil Hero. “Now, will you tell me what you came here for?”
A moment of silence…
‘This freaking… bastard.’
Despite the situation, Evester found himself smiling at the evil doctor before him. Of course, Baldrick Alastair was still a trickster, just like Evester himself. Even if the crazy doctor retired and sat back to watch from now on, that didn’t mean he’d make things any easier for anyone.
Evester was secretly admiring Baldrick’s twisted skills at that moment.
“Oh, I wished to talk with you longer, but I guess the doctor didn’t enjoy my company…”
Baldrick watched with a smile as the teen stood from his seat and strolled toward him.
“I came to deliver a message,” Evester stood a step away from the vampire, smiling up with his arms crossed, “When the time comes, you can rest assured and die, as I promise to finish this Game well and set you free as you always wished.”
“……”
He calmly nodded. “Enjoy the final stage that I’m sure you’d prepare for me.” Evester let go and caused his eyes to close with a sweet smile, “A message from the previous Davante Fixsen before he decided to restart the Game for the last time.”
image [https://i.postimg.cc/Tw9zZt1X/1j.jpg]
Evester turned around and walked to the entrance, leaving the silent and secretly stunned doctor alone as if he said nothing.
“Klaria Granovsky shouldn’t be the one doing the hunting here, Davante Fixsen.”
Evester stopped just before he left the room when the doctor calmly said, judging by the tone, he knew Baldrick was smiling yet again, but it lacked its usual playfulness for the first time since meeting him, even from the previous rounds the doctor didn’t once sound so serene like now.
“So, show me the greatest performance, okay?”
Understanding the message, Evester didn’t bother to look at the doctor as he finally left the room and back to the stairs with one name repeating in his head.
Klaria Granovsky…
-That’s the name of the Cowndrel Queen, who was said to have perished long ago, back when I was alive…
Yeolard explained in his head and sounded in disbelief.
‘You sound so shocked despite meeting her far too many times in the nightmares you described to Davante before.’
-I knew the woman in the dream with the mirrors and the one in the forest were the same person… but I never knew what the Cowndrel Queen looked like. It was taboo to talk about her because of her betrayal against the Noble Vampire Queen…
Evester soon stopped thinking about the messy history of the two silly Queens discovered by Davante in some of the previous fifty rounds. He focused on one thing here.
‘She’s a Granovsky.’
-Yes… as it seems.
How dumb is she to fail miserably until now if she remembers the previous rounds? Evester wondered as he walked calmly up the stairs as the entrance opened for him, knowing it was Baldrick easily letting him out to do his mission as promised.
-She doesn’t seem stable enough to act on a proper plan, even with the power of the Granovsky family to remember the past.
That could be why, Evester thought while recalling what the woman looked like and behaved sickeningly all this time.
-She was always oddly scared of Davante Fixsen, even in my dreams when Davante wasn’t born yet.
Evester hummed as he stood outside, the entrance to the underground laboratory closed and hidden behind him, finding himself in the forest and listening to the sound of people yelling and running even from his place.
Whatever the reason behind her fear of Davante to stop her from killing him straight away, it didn’t matter.
Evester smiled.
‘He’ is here. Evester can feel it.
“Klaria Granovsky shouldn’t be the one doing the hunting here, Davante Fixsen.”
Reminded of what the doctor tried to tell him moments ago, he knew what to do now.
And as soon as he set foot outside the forest, someone grabbed his wrist firmly.
“Thank God I found you before they did!”
Evester didn’t say anything as he was suddenly pulled and dragged by one of Davante’s classmates. He searched the memories to recall the boy’s name again… right, Jack Harris, the class president. The teen appeared a few times in the memories before and was always friendly to Davante it seems. And said teen looked desperate to save him from the guards and everyone in the academy now, moving carefully and hurrying to what Evester assumed was the academy’s gate.
“Why are you helping me?”
The class president got distracted and almost tripped at the question, quickly proceeding on his way to the gate with a weak smile as he looked straight while still pulling the other by the wrist.
“I… I was in the same class as you… back then, uhm, when the incident happened.”
Shocked for a moment, Evester previously guessed that surely some students would be from the kindergarten Davante went to when he was a child, but to think Jack was one of them and still smiled at Davante after what happened that day…
Nobody stood with Davante on that day. Everyone cried in fear after bullying and pressuring the silent and gloomy kid in the class, unleashing for a second the monster lying inside that tiny body of Davante’s, causing the glasses to shatter all too suddenly. Davante didn’t even know what happened on that day or what caused the windows and everything to crash, but at least the child was aware they provoked something in him first, which helped as he grew up without the guilt of what he’d done but rather worrying over what exactly had they looked at that day.
And now this kid is saying he remembers the day but helps him now from yet another questionable incident when Davante was framed to be truly a murderer, and all the proofs were shown to everyone.
“I always believed what happened that day was just an accident from the weather or anything really. It was so absurd to blame it all on a child just the same as the rest of us… so…” Jack turned briefly to smile at his classmate, “Allow me to help this time, please.”
“……”
Oh, really?
Evester wanted to laugh, but he needed to play along because he could see Kaven Fixsen standing alone before the gate and waiting with a crazy smirk as the class president easily dragged Davante to him.
“Perfect, now get lost.”
Just as Kaven said that, with one swift movement of his hand throwing a dagger, Jack’s head fell to the ground and beside Evester’s legs. The body of the now-dead class president soon fell after with a thud.
Evester expected the poor class president to be another puppet controlled by the dirty bitch, but to think she would end his life this way and fast the moment he brought him to her… he was honestly shocked and speechless.
“Ugh—!”
His neck was suddenly grabbed when he was distracted for a second, instantly preventing him from breathing.
“You…” Kaven said with a shivering voice as if he was short of breath himself, tightening his grip with both hands around the skinny neck, bringing his face close with wide, lunatic eyes, “You played with me as you liked all this time…! You… You son of a bitch!”
He would laugh if he could. The nerve this sick freak had to play the victim after all the bullshit and knowing her horrible history even to have caused the curse that turned her into the way she was today, she really was beyond help.
A wide grin appeared on Kaven’s face as Evester struggled to breathe and his face was turning horribly purple. “Ooh~ This is— This sight is the best… the BEST!!”
-Sir… should we switch again? At this rate…
His vision was turning black, and his limbs started going cold and limp.
-Sir… you’ll— Davante’s body will—
Yeolard’s voice in his head was suddenly cut, and everything around him turned completely silent.
Evester smirked as he felt the grip around his neck loosens.
‘Welcome back.’
He wasn’t in control anymore when Davante’s eyes opened to reveal not Kaven Fixsen but the horrified face of the disgusting Cowndrel Queen.
Evester could see pale hands calmly and gently cupping her trembling face, her eyes widening and her pupils shaking despite the tender touch as if she was someone precious to the person before her.
“You will die at my hands.”
Evester felt immense satisfaction when he heard the very familiar quiet voice of Davante after so long.
The ugly Queen shivered violently as chills were sent all over her body at the coldest voice she had ever heard of the Third Player of the Game made by the damn doctor when he first found out the truth. The face before her… didn’t look the same as the teen she had been watching and targeting for so long…
That smile… didn’t belong to the sixteen-year-old Davante Fixsen.
Her breath hitched… no… this person is…
She was quickly reminded of what she sensed in the hospital room months ago when Davante Fixsen fell asleep… he was being revived back then… she was sure he woke up normal again as she sensed no revival energy in him… so how…?
Who…? When…? HOW?!
“Wait for me.”
“Ha—!” she gasped at the chilling whisper with the coldest smile from the man in a teen body before her.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/1ttB3BMS/3j.jpg]
Her lips trembling—
SCREEEECH—!
Davante opened his eyes and found himself back in the academy and not in the white void anymore. “Typical of her.” He coldly whispered with a smirk as he expected the cowardly woman to flee away and back to her hiding spot, waiting for his visit again like the good Queen she was.
He heard the sound of a weak step and looked in one direction.
“D… Da…” Kaven uttered weakly as if it was his first time learning to speak. The blond father, who struggled to stand when both he and his son opened their eyes at the same time, took step after step closer to Davante with his hands weakly stretched out. “…Dav… Davan…”
“Father…” Davante smiled softly at the man who had loved him the most since his birth in all his life since round one. He calmly opened his arms and let his father fall into them.
“…Davante…”
Davante slowly brought both of them down to sit on the ground when his father finally whispered his name and was struggling to keep his eyes open.
“It’s okay. You’ve suffered enough trying to resist her, so take some rest now.”
He whispered gently and watched his father still refusing to close his eyes. “I promise we’ll see each other again, so…” he kissed the top of his father’s head the way Kaven always did to him when he was a child.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/J0F2LvWS/2j.jpg]
“Sleep well, Dad.”
And just after the whisper…
His father slept peacefully for the first time after nine years…
And was freed for the first time after all the fifty rounds before.
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The End of CH. 41